Jon Patton has declared his twice-reconstructed right knee ready for the rigours of senior footy, ahead of his long-awaited return to the AFL when the GIANTS take on Essendon at Spotless Stadium on Sunday.

Patton has been sidelined since August 2014, after his second reconstruction on the knee in three years.

The former number one draft pick was cleared to return to full training in late April, but delayed his return to the field until last month and has since played four games in the NEAFL.

The powerful 22 year-old bristled when asked if he has confidence in his knee's ability to handle the step up in intensity this weekend and beyond.

"Yeah, yeah I do. It's a bit of a silly question really, I'm not going to say no, but yeah I do," Patton said on Thursday.

Patton says the extra weeks he spent in full training have helped make his transition back to the field easier, because he had plenty of things to tick off before he put his hand up to play.
 
"To get through games, to see if I still had it, a few one on one contests and stuff like that, to hit some bodies just for my mind," Patton said.
 
"I've got my confidence back running around, and that’s probably 80 per cent of the comeback is the confidence of knowing you can come back and play.
 
"I wanted to get a couple of months under my belt of full training, because I didn't want to come back and be underdone and not be able to perform well.
 
"I'm going to start off a bit sloppy here and there but I'm not putting too much expectation on myself, I'm just going to go out there and have fun and do my thing.
 
"I feel good and I'm ready to go."
 
Patton's rehabilitation campaign has been a rigorous one, with the key forward put through extra running after the rest of the GWS players had left the training track.

Click here to watch coach Leon Cameron tell the playing group about Patton's return 

A trimmed-down Patton revealed he'd lost body fat and added lean muscle mass to his frame, but admitted looking on as the GIANTS started the season so impressively left him emotionally torn.
 
"It was tough, but that was like my pre-season, when all the boys were playing at the start of the year," Patton said.
 
"It was good to watch because we had a few good wins, but I wasn't really enjoying it because I wanted to be out there so much.
 
"I'm fully fit now and I just need to get that AFL game time under my belt, and hopefully come the end of the year I'm playing some really good football and running out games.
 
"The guys have been good all year and now I'm back out there hopefully I can help the team, and I think I can."
 
While the Patton comeback is a boost for the GIANTS, the news was less positive with defender Matt Buntine, set to miss his second game in three weeks due to concussion.
 
One of the most courageous players on the GWS list, Buntine was concussed in round 16 against Gold Coast and missed the following game against Geelong. He returned to face Fremantle in Perth last week but copped another knock to the head, and won't play against Essendon.
 
Buntine has only trained lightly this week and has been sent for scans to determine to extent of his head injury.
 
Coach Leon Cameron said the health of the 21 year-old is a concern.
 
"It is to be totally honest," Cameron said.
 
"He's too brave for his own good sometimes. 


“It's a hard thing to say because he keeps on keeping on, but two concussions in the space of three weeks - where that leads to we're a bit unsure.
 
"He's a terrific player, he's so brave, we love him for that.
 
"We back our medical staff any day of the week and they have the welfare of Matty Buntine at the forefront of their mind.
 
"We'll be ultra cautious with him going forward in the coming weeks."
 
Cameron expects speedy midfielder Devon Smith to return against the Bombers after missing last week's loss to the Dockers with a knee problem.

The GIANTS take on Essendon on Sunday, August 9 at 3.20pm at Spotless Stadium as part of the 2015 Toyota AFL Multicultural Round. Tickets start from $24 for an adult and $48 for a family of two adults and two kids with children under 15 free.

CLICK HERE to get your tickets now